Life

Godfrey Thring was born at Alford, Somerset

Alford, Somerset

Alford is a village and parish on the River Alham, in Somerset, England, situated south of Shepton Mallet and two miles west of Castle Cary in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 63. It lies on the River Cary.-History:...

, the son of the rector, Rev. John Gale Dalton Thring and Sarah née Jenkyns. He was brother of Theodore Thring (1816–91), Henry, Lord Thring (1818–1907) (a noted jurist and Parliamentary Counsel to the Treasury), Edward Thring

Edward Thring

Edward Thring was a celebrated British educator. He was headmaster of Uppingham School and founder of the Headmasters' Conference in 1869.-Life:...

 (headmaster of Uppingham School

Uppingham School

Uppingham School is a co-educational independent school of the English public school tradition, situated in the small town of Uppingham in Rutland, England...

) and John Charles Thring (a master at Uppingham School and deviser of the Uppingham Rules), and two sisters. The family is commemorated in Alford Church by carved choir seats in the chancel and two memorial windows.

He was educated at Shrewsbury School

Shrewsbury School

Shrewsbury School is a co-educational independent school for pupils aged 13 to 18, founded by Royal Charter in 1552. The present campus to which the school moved in 1882 is located on the banks of the River Severn in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England...

 and graduated in 1845 from Balliol College, Oxford

Balliol College, Oxford

Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....

 with a BA. He was ordained in the Anglican Church. In 1858 his father united the benefice

Benefice

A benefice is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The term is now almost obsolete.-Church of England:...

s of Alford and Hornblotton by an Act of Parliament styled the "Thrings Estate Bill" and Godfrey became his father's curate. He built Hornblotton Rectory for Godfrey in 1867.

Thring died in 1903 and was buried in Shamley Green

Shamley Green

Shamley Green is a small village in the county of Surrey, England. Neighbouring villages include Wonersh, Chilworth, Farncombe and Bramley. Nearby railway stations include Chilworth railway station and Farncombe railway station . Although Shalford Station is in fact closer as the route to...

, Surrey

Surrey

Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...

, England.

Service

• Curate of Stratfield-Turgis
  Stratfield Turgis
  Stratfield Turgis is a small village and civil parish in the north-east of the English county of Hampshire.-History:The name of Stratfield Turgis derives from its origins on open land by the Roman road from Silchester to London, and the Turgis family, who held the manor of the de Ports and St...
  
   1846–50
• Curate of Strathfieldsaye 1850–53
• Unknown parishes 1853–58
• Rector of Alford with Hornblotton, Somerset
  Somerset
  The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
  
    1867–76
• Prebendary
  Prebendary
  A prebendary is a post connected to an Anglican or Catholic cathedral or collegiate church and is a type of canon. Prebendaries have a role in the administration of the cathedral...
  
   of East Harptree, Wells Cathedral
  Wells Cathedral
  Wells Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral in Wells, Somerset, England. It is the seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells, who lives at the adjacent Bishop's Palace....
  
   1867 (Contemporaries include Ken and Edward Hayes Plumptre
  Edward Hayes Plumptre
  Edward Hayes Plumptre was an English divine and scholar, and was born in London.-Life:This son of E.H. Plumptre was born in London. A scholar of University College, Oxford, he graduated with a double-first class degree in 1844. In the same year he was elected Fellow of Brasenose College. Married...
  
  )

The town of Lovington, Somerset

Lovington, Somerset

Lovington is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated south west of Castle Cary, between the River Brue and River Cary, in the South Somerset district...

's history gives us a glimpse into the character of Thring:

But for the generosity of the Thring family a century ago the school would have gone short of books and materials for needlework and other necessities. The Rev Godfrey Thring worked constantly for the good of the children. He presented the school with a harmonium

Harmonium

A harmonium is a free-standing keyboard instrument similar to a reed organ. Sound is produced by air being blown through sets of free reeds, resulting in a sound similar to that of an accordion...

 on which he could play his compositions and get the children to sing the hymns that he wrote.

Published works

Thring's poetry books include Hymns Congregational and Others, 1866; Hymns and Verses, 1866; Hymns and Sacred Lyrics, 1874, A Church of England Hymn-book Adapted to the Daily Services of the Church throughout the Year, 1880; and a revised Church of England Hymn Book in 1882.

He wrote many hymns including The radiant morn has passed away and Fierce raged the tempest o'er the deep. Although Matthew Bridges (1800–94) wrote the original verses to Crown Him with Many Crowns, Thring added more verses. It is possible they met but there is no record of them having done so. Both men are usually listed as the writers.